


Titanic

by ltkcoolnessluver



Category: Pacific Rim (2013) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Swearing, Titanic References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:28:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ltkcoolnessluver/pseuds/ltkcoolnessluver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann Gottlieb was a respectable young man, and respectable people did not have urges like this! So why? Why did he feel commanded to call out into the hallway that night? Perhaps it was the embodiment of fate itself tugging at his heart, but Hermann knows- "What ever it was it was for the best."</p>
<p>Rated for teens right now, but will become mature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Titanic

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

Hermann glanced up over the top of his book at the small black-rimmed clock on the opposite wall. Two minutes to midnight and he still had a good six or seven more chapters to go.

                  ‘Great’ he thought as he shifted his actuarial science and aeronautical textbooks into a more upright position, ‘Just what I need.’

He sighed and lifted his glasses enough to rub at his aching eyes, and a sharp pain shot through his already cramping leg. Now would be as good a time as any to get up and stretch he supposed.

This had been going on for quite some time now. Everyday was a constant cycle of get up, go to your classes, come back to your dorm, and study until you passes out from exhaustion. It wasn’t as if Hermann hadn’t expected this kind of lifestyle while going to college. Especially with an overbearing father like Dr. Lars Gottlieb, whose expectations were higher than the altitude capability of a spacecraft, he knew long before now that college was going to be a pain. He had tried to ease the trouble of it as much as possible. Between mass applications for scholarships, and even paying extra for a single person dorm room he figured that all of it would end up alleviating some hassle down the road.

Plucking his left over Starbucks from the mini fridge next to his bed, he set himself to continue working when he heard a faint noise from above.

_Plink plink plink plink plink!_

A piano? Who on earth would be playing piano at midnight? Not to mention, it really was not helping Hermann concentrate on his work. Perhaps it would stop in a minute. Yes, if it stopped soon he supposed he’d be able to deal with it well enough. What was the purpose behind causing a fuss about a split second nuisance anyway?

The piano playing did not stop after a minute. Not even after five minutes or ten. Annoyance continuing to build up within him, Hermann was just about to call up the stairwell for the mysterious piano player to knock it off when there was a sudden shift in the tone of the music. Pausing for a second Hermann thought he recognized the melody and a slight swell of excitement rose in his chest when he discovered that he did indeed know the song.

“Near, far, wherever you are!” A rich tenor voice began to accompany the soft tune from the piano.

Hermann began humming along quietly when a strange and sudden urge came up from within him. No. No! He cut himself off. No! He was a respectable young man! A man of math and science and literature and Titanic references! Wait, what? No! Respectable people did not have urges like this! No, no. Nonononononononono!

“I believe that the heart does go on!”

“Oh no!” Hermann whispered to himself, “I will not give in! Nope!” But the more he attempted to resist his inner longing the stronger the need to surrender to it became. He felt about ready to burst! “Fuck it.”

With a sudden force Hermann flung open the door to his dorm room and decided to give into his stupid compulsion.

“Jack?!” He called up the staircase, and immediately regretted the decision. The chances were that the person playing the song’s name was not Jack and even if they happened to understand the attempted reference, they would ignore Hermann’s call anyway. But to Hermann’s surprise the noise from the piano ceased and loud footfalls were heard overhead.

“Rose?” A man’s voice sounded as the footsteps stopped at the peak of the stairs. Slowly the footsteps made their way down the staircase to reveal a young man as their source. The man had tousled hair kept into place by an abundance of hair-gel and a dusting of stubble across the lower half of his face. The man came dashing down the hall toward Hermann only to stop near halfway and lay down on the ground. Hermann stood confused for a second. Was the man okay?

“Come here!” The man spoke from the ground and motioned for Hermann to come toward him.

‘Well, the man did run all the way down here, so I may as well run with it.’ Hermann thought. He walked to where the man was laying and knelt down next to him, taking care, as always, to keep excess weight off his bad leg. From this position the man took hold of Hermann’s hand and pulled him closer to his prone form.

“You must promise me that you’ll survive! That you won’t give up!” The man spoke and pawed at Hermann’s chest in an over dramatic fashion. Taking Hermann’s face into his hands the man continued his speech. “Promise me now Rose, and never let go of that promise!”

“I promise! Never let go!” Hermann responded in the same exaggerated fashion. Okay, so maybe it was a bit strange to be less than an inch away from a complete stranger’s face while reciting passionate lines from a movie, but who was Hermann to judge. Especially when it was he participating in said activity. “I’ll never let go Jack. I’ll never let go!”

The man lifted Hermann’s hand to his lips and made to kiss it but Hermann jerked his arm slightly and the man’s face came up suddenly to look at Hermann.

“Sorry.” The man said, clearing his throat.

“No, no, it’s fine.” Hermann replied embarrassedly. He still hadn’t exactly come to terms with the fact that he was putting on a play with an utter stranger in the middle of a hallway passed midnight. Or that that exact same stranger attempted to kiss his hand. To Hermann’s surprise, the thought of the stranger laying his lips upon him sent a jolt of internal excitement through his chest. He paused again. What? What was he just thinking? Hermann sighed again; tonight was a night of firsts.

“The man on the floor cleared his throat again. “Uhm, hey. I’m Newton. But you can call me Newt- If you want to.” Newt held his hand out for Hermann to shake.

“I’m Hermann.” Hermann responded and shook Newt’s hand. The awkwardness from the previous situation still hadn’t completely worn off, but Hermann figured that some amount of conversation might help it.

“So, Newt-” The name sounded odd in Hermann’s mouth, “Was that you playing the piano?”

A certain kind of light appeared in Newt’s eyes when Hermann said this. “Yeah man! I’m majoring in music study and piano has a huge role in all of it.” And with that Newt launched himself into an exuberant and rather animated monologue on the inner working of music theory and the role certain instruments had to play within it.

Hermann chuckled. Dang this guy was cute. Again, what? By cute he meant different-and exuberant and that was…nice. Yes, that is exactly what he meant. Not cute as if he was physically attracted to him. Nope, not at all.

“Hermann?”

“Wha-” Hermann was ripped from his thoughts by Newt’s sudden question.

“You seemed a little out-of-it. Are you alright?” Newt’s face crinkled in concern and he placed his hand on Hermann’s cheek.

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine.” Hermann blushed at the contact, “I’m just tired is all.”

“Oh!” Newt sprang up from his position on the floor and helped Hermann to his feet. For the first time since meeting him Hermann noticed the staggering difference in height between the two of them. Newton was at least a good four inches shorter than him, and Hermann had to resist the urge to laugh. “Sorry, for keeping you out here so late. You can go to bed if you want!”

Newton awkwardly nudged Hermann toward the door to his dorm room.

“Have a good night Hermann. Nice meeting you man! See ya!” Newt smiled as Hermann turned to face him.

“Yeah. Good night to you too. See you.” Hermann gently closed the door and listened to Newt’s retreating footsteps.

                  Wait, had Newton said see you? Did that mean he wanted to see Hermann again? Was it just something nice to say but didn’t really mean anything at all? Why did Hermann even care what it meant? It wasn’t like he wanted to see Newton again right? …Right?

                  Hermann sighed again. Tonight certainly was a night of firsts.


End file.
